Admission is restricted to children of serving personnel/pensioners of the regular Army, with special consideration being given to those of war casualties, specified gallantry award winners, permanently disabled personnel, and those killed in counter insurgency operations/ low intensity conflicts. In the case of children of medical officers seconded to the Air Force or Navy,, the concerned parent should have put in a minimum of 10 years service in the Army. These courses are also open to citizens of Nepal, Bhutan, and Pakistan (those of Indian origin), provided that they have the intention of permanently settling in India.

The hotel management institute is located in Bangalore, andis affiliated to Bangalore University, and has also been approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (ATCTE). The academic council includes senior executives of leading hotel chains within the city, such as The Oberoi, Sheraton, Taj, and Ashoka, with the Chief of Army Staff as the patron of the council.

The student should have passed 10+2 (or equivalent) with English as a compulsory subject, physical fitness is of prime importance. Maximum age limit is 20 years at the time of admission.

A total of 14 major cities, including Guwahati, Jammu, and Srinagar, are offered as entrance exam centres.

The course includes an introduction to computer application and hotel software, besides subejcts such as French. Business Law, Food and Beverage, Hotel Accounting, Hotel Economics, Front Office Management, Marketing & Public Relations, Housekeeping, and General Administration. The students are given a 4-6 weeks training annually at an approved hotel or catering institute. A placement cell works inco-ordination with reputed hotels, many of whom opt for on-campus selection itself.

Other facilities include sports and medical facilities, club, library, cafeteria, shopping complex, and CSD canteen. Accommodation is available through AWWA run hostels (separate for boys and girls) within a 2 km radius, for which expenses are extra.

The fee structure will be intimated with the instructions. However, the refundable security deposit is Rs 30,000.

On the same lines, the Army Institute of Technology, located at Dighi Hills, Pune, offers a four-year bachelor of engineering degree in mechanical, computer, or electronics and telecommunications streams, recognised by Pune University.

The centres for this much sought after course are conveniently located in little known areas such as Silchar, Sukhna, and Jorhat in the east, Wellington and Port Blair in the south, to even, Kathmandu. Eligibility is a 10+2 or equivalent, with age between 16-21 years, and subjects are English, Maths, Physics, andChemistry.

The campus is situated within serene environs, and is totally self-contained. The annual tuition fees is Rs 5,000. The rest to be intimated at the time of admission. However, in this course, students have to sign a five-year bond to serve in the Indian Army, provided they are found medically fit.

Last year, the National Institute of Management was set up at Calcutta, and is seeking recognition from the AICTE as well as Vishwa Bharati University, Shantiniketan. The course is supplemented with seminars, workshops, and internet facility in each classroom. The MBA programme deals with topics such as Business Ethics and Values, personnel, Financial, Marketing, and Human Resource Management, Managerial Economics, and Cost Accounting. Leading industrial houses have guaranteed on-campus selection.

This particular programme includes residential facilities for the students. The fees are Rs 24,000 annually Rs 20,000 security (refundable): hostel charges Rs 6,000 annually: food Rs 12,000 annually.

Thenewest endeavour is the Army College of Dental Sciences at Secunderabad, established in May this year. It offers a four-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree, and is affiliated to the NTR university of Health Sciences, Vijayawada (AP) with a further one year's internship.

The written admission test will comprise of Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology, eligibility is 10+2 and, therefore, age limit is 17 years.Hostel, health, and recreational facilities are provided on campus.Annual fee is Rs 35,000, hostel Rs 5,000, food approx Rs 1,000 (monthly).